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ATTENTION: Windows 10 users

Beta 2 build is now available!

If you just upgraded to Windows 10 or running build 10240 or greater of Win 10 pre-release you will need to download and install the new version of ZoneAlarm 14.0.157.000

Lags in Counter-Strike because of ZoneAlarm, why?

Hello to everyone!I don't know if my post it's in correct topic, but I think this isn't a problem.My problem is that I use ZoneAlarm Free 8.0 at the moment, and I have lags because of him in Counter-Strike playing on a server in my country.But, this isn't the problem only with the 8th version, because it's the same problem with the other ones, I used those too. Someone of you may think I'm joking, but it's really because of him. I installed the same OS on another partitition, with another firewall, and have no problem with the game, it's working very well. But, at the same time I'm interessed, why I have lags in CS? I understand that Zonealarm protects me, but maybe I need somehow to configure it? I missed somethink?
Thank you for your help!

Re: Lags in Counter-Strike because of ZoneAlarm, why?

Click here &gt; http://forum.zonealarm.org/zonelabs/...d=54291#M46010
&lt;<hr>Server rights for all game programs,
temporarily,
putting your ZA's Firewall &gt; Main &gt; Internet Zone Security - change from High to Medium does the trick. &lt;&lt;&lt;
[ by the way - &quot;Trusted Zone Security&quot; should always be set at &quot;Medium&quot; - it's only Internet Zone Security that normally needs to left on 'High.']

If you know the IP address of server and the ports, you can configure some items in your ZA firewall - click on the &quot;Help&quot; = UserGuide for more info. Please check Steam's website for IP address, ports and other info. for improving game play with ZA.

Re: Lags in Counter-Strike because of ZoneAlarm, why?

Hello!Zonealarm Free Has the Game Mode option, like the paid ones, but still with this option enabled I have lags. I've set the rights for the game, I'm not such a newbie how maybe you thought. For CS I've set the Trusted Internet zone access and Server trusted internet access to full, program control is medium, because the FREE version does not provide more than that. At the same time, on firewall Trusted Zone and Internet Zone Security I've set High. May this be the problem? So then how can I set high level for all other programs, and only for CS to give full and easy access to trusted network and Internet, is this possible?
Thank you for your reply!

Re: Lags in Counter-Strike because of ZoneAlarm, why?

Sorry about the game-mode for ZA Free, I've never had that version, anyhow, carefull reader...
- In game mode
&gt; temporarily
putting your ZA's Firewall &gt; Main &gt; Internet Zone Security - change from High to Medium does the trick. &lt;&lt;&lt;
[ by the way - &quot;Trusted Zone Security&quot; should always be set at &quot;Medium&quot; - it's only Internet Zone Security that normally needs to be left on 'High.']

So while your playing - ZA firewall &gt; zones for internet and trusted = medium. After you've finished palying - &gt; Internet &gt; high; Trusted &gt; Medium = this is the default settings and should remain so.<hr>Click on the &quot;Help&quot;= User Guide - look in 'troubleshooting' chapter, games, game playing, etc. Again if you know the IP address for the game server, ports for Steam.

Re: Lags in Counter-Strike because of ZoneAlarm, why?

Thank you for your reply!
But, even doing that what you told me, I have lags in the game. I'll try to add the IP address of the game server somewhere in configuration of ZA, but I don't hope for something, because with the experience of many years, I never managed to get good play in any game, so I think this is the price for protection, isn't it?

Re: Lags in Counter-Strike because of ZoneAlarm, why?

<blockquote><hr>AWriter wrote:
Thank you for your reply!
But, even doing that what you told me, I have lags in the game. I'll try to add the IP address of the game server somewhere in configuration of ZA, but I don't hope for something, because with the experience of many years, I never managed to get good play in any game, so I think this is the price for protection, isn't it?
<hr></blockquote>

Sometimes the router or hardware firewall is at fault and not the software firewall - some hardware firewalls handle the games better than others depending on their latency values.
Even if the ports are opend or forwarded in the router the latency still is important.
The lower the better as far as games are concerned.
Same goes for some dsl modems that have buitl in firewall and NAT capabilities - some are better than others for online games.

Re: Lags in Counter-Strike because of ZoneAlarm, why?

No, the problem does not consist in this. I have written in another thread that I have two OS on the same PC, one with ZoneAlarm, and another without, and I have best game experience there where ZoneAlarm isn't installed, and I can't play at all in the OS with it. And I have no routers and hardware firewalls, I have FIBERLINK connection 100 Mb/s in my country and 512k externally, so the local speed is not a problem.
I'm sure that the problem is in ZoneAlarm, but obviously nobody want to understand this. I added manually the IP adreses of the Game Servers and I still have problems. Like I said, maybe this is the price for protection

Re: Lags in Counter-Strike because of ZoneAlarm, why?

<blockquote><hr>AWriter wrote:
No, the problem does not consist in this. I have written in another thread that I have two OS on the same PC, one with ZoneAlarm, and another without, and I have best game experience there where ZoneAlarm isn't installed, and I can't play at all in the OS with it. And I have no routers and hardware firewalls, I have FIBERLINK connection 100 Mb/s in my country and 512k externally, so the local speed is not a problem.
I'm sure that the problem is in ZoneAlarm, but obviously nobody want to understand this. I added manually the IP adreses of the Game Servers and I still have problems. Like I said, maybe this is the price for protection
<hr></blockquote>

I can not disagree that software firewalls can cause lags in network connections such as P2P or games... some are better than others in this regard.

Often some of the very older and un-supported firewalls to be found around the 'net are the best yest made for pure firewalling with excellent performance with Games and P2P useages. Ones like syg8 or k3ir0 2.1.5 for examples - probably the best ones around (only work on XP and older windows not vista or windows7).
Probably the best ZA free to use for best performance with Games (or P2P) would be the older ZA 5.5 ...maybe the 6.1 but the 5.5 is my own favorite ZA to use (using ZA Pro 5.5). In terms of speed, these two older ZA firewalls are best for network speeds and out best the newer ZA versions.

Many of the newer firewalls include the extras such as component control and scanners and numerous file checkers that adds to the lagging and delays in games - every time another connection is made or attempted, the firewall first has to check every related file to the connecting process. I would advise a paid ZA user to make adjustment to the component an program controls, but this is not available in the ZA free, so I can't help really with this any further.
Also the paid ZA has a few more tricks to help 'speed' thing up and make things go more smoothly.
Basic advise is to uninstall the latest ZA and revert to the older ZA 5.5 or 6.1 or try the syg8 or k3ir0 2.1.5. Yes these are all older or dated firewalls, but in terms of pure packet filtering and inbound protection/security these older firewall still do the security job well. And probably use less computer resources as well have improved networking speeds.